Sensex falls to four-month low; politics, Cyprus weigh

The index slips 3.6% for the week, marking a second week of losses

The Sensex fell for a sixth consecutive session on Friday, to its lowest close in four months, as blue chips such as State Bank of India continued to reel from concerns about political instability and doubts over the prospect of future rate cuts.

Falls also tracked Asian shares, which hovered near their lowest in nearly three months, as Cyprus scrambled to avoid a meltdown of its banking system and a possible exit from the Euro zone.

The BSE Sensex fell 0.3 per cent, or 57.27 points, to 18,735.60. The index fell 3.6 per cent for the week, marking a second week of losses.

The Nifty fell 0.13 per cent, or 7.40 points, to end at 5,651.35, falling for a sixth day, and marking its biggest losing streak since November 19, 2012.